TRANSITIONING YOUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR TO COLLEGE FRESHMAN IS EXCITING AND LET'S FACE IT, A
LITTLE SCARY.
SO, WE TURNED TO THE EXPERTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON IN THE NATION'S TOP 2% OF PUBLIC
UNIVERSITIES FOR SOME TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE THE TRANSITION A SUCESS NO MATTER WHERE YOU
LIVE.
BECAUSE MOVE IN DAY IS JUST THE FIRST STEP.
WATCH THIS.
WELCOME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON.
(MUSIC) NO MATTER WHERE YOU CALL HOME OR WHERE YOUR
CHILD WILL ATTEND COLLEGE THERE ARE SEVERAL IMPORTANT STEPS YOU, AS A PARENT, CAN TAKE
TO ENSURE STUDENT'S SUCCESS ONCE THEY GET THERE.
ORIENTATION IS CRITICAL TO STUDENT SUCCESS, THERE PERSISTENCE, THEIR ABILITY TO GRADUATE
ON TIME.
THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT WITH OTHER NEW STUDENTS WITH CURRENT STUDENTS, WITH FACULTY
STAFF AND LEARN ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO SUCCEED BOTH INSIDE THE CLASSROOM AND OUTSIDE THE
CLASSROOM.
I WAS REALLY NERVOUS.
I WAS NERVOUS THAT I WASN'T GOING TO FIT IN OR I WASN'T GOING TO FIND PEOPLE THAT I CONNECTED
WITH LIKE THE PEOPLE I CONNECTED WITH IN HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT ONCE I GOT TO ORIENTATION ALL OF THAT JUST WENT RIGHT AWAY.
THE ORIENTATION WAS GREAT.
I MET A LOT OF NEW STUDENTS THAT HAD SIMILAR INTERESTS AS I DID AND SO THAT WAS AWESOME.
AND THE MOVE IN, I HAD A LOT OF HELP FROM THE CAMPUS AND THE STUDENTS ON CAMPUS SO IT
WAS FANTASTIC.
IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE OVERALL.
IN FACT, I JUST UNLOADED THE CAR ON THE SIDEWALK AND THE KIDS HELPED MOVE IT ALL IN TO THE
DORM ROOM WHICH WAS GREAT.
STATISTICS SHOW THAT THE CLOSER THE STUDENT IS TO HOME THE LESS LIKELY PARENTS ARE TO
COME ORIENTATION.
BUT ATTENDING IS KEY TO HELPING YOU AND YOUR FRESHMAN FEEL MORE ENGAGED.
ANYTIME A PARENT IS PART OF OUR ACTIVITIES.
WHETHER IT'S THE ORIENTATION FOR NEW STUDENTS, WHETHER IT'S WELCOME WEEK ACTIVITIES THAT
WE HAVE BOTH FOR STUDENTS AND FOR FAMILIES.
OR IF IT'S PARENT AND FAMILY WEEKENDS THAT WE HAVE THROUGH OUT THE YEAR.
OVER THE COURSE OF 4 YEARS THAT A STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY IT REALLY MAKES A CONNECTION,
NOT ONLY, FOR THE PARENTS BUT IT ALSO TELLS YOUR STUDENT THAT YOU ARE ENGAGED.
YOU ARE INVESTED IN THEIR SUCCESS AND THEIR HAPPINESS.
AND THAT YOU SUPPORT THEM BEING A STUDENT AT A UNIVERSITY.
THIS WEEK ORGEON PUT TOGETHER THE WEEK OF WELCOME WHICH HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HELPFUL FOR
A PARENTS AND FAMILIES.
ESPECIALLY THAT AREN'T FROM THE ORGEON AREA.
LEARNING ABOUT FINANCIAL RESOURCES IS ALSO A BIG PART OF BONDING WITH YOUR SCHOOL.
EVERYTHING WE DO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON IS GEARED TOWARD MAKING A STUDENT SUCCESSFUL.
AND THAT MEANS THAT WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH STUDENTS, WITH PARENTS, WITH
FAMILIES.
AND FINANCIAL CONCERNS NOT UNSURPRISINGLY ARE ALWAYS A BIG ISSUE WITH FAMILIES.
AND SO THE MORE INFORMATION WE CAN PROVIDE THE MORE WE CAN LOWER THE ANXIETY LEVEL FROM
THE VERY BEGINNING.
AND IT ENABLES OUR STUDENTS TO CONCENTRATE ON WHAT THEY ARE REALLY HERE TO DO WHICH IS
TAKE COURSES, EARN THEIR DEGREE, PLAN FOR THEIR FUTURE, AND GO OFF AND BE SUCCESSFUL
DUCKS.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO MAKE COLLEGE AFFORDABLE
IS TO MAKE IT FOUR YEARS INSTEAD OF 5.
BECAUSE THAT 5TH YEAR ADDS 10'S OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BEYOND WHAT I FAMILY MAY HAVE PLANNED
FOR.
EXPERTS SAY IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR YOUR STUDENT TO MEET WITH THEIR PROFESSORS AND THEIR ACADEMIC
ADVISORS AT LEAST ONCE PER QUARTER.
AT THE END OF THE TERM I MEET WITH THEM TO MAKE SURE I'M ON TRACK TO SEE HOW MY GRADES
END UP AND ESPECIALLY FOR ME BECAUSE IM LOOKING FOR A GRADUATE SCHOOLS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TELL STUDENTS WHEN THEY COME IS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN COLLEGE,
GO TO CLASS, BE PREPARED, AND SIT UP FRONT!
BECAUSE WHEN YOU SIT UP FRONT YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE PROFESSOR.
YOU ARE GOING TO BE MORE IN TUNED TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE COURSE AND YOU'RE GOING
TO GET MORE OUT OF THE COURSE.
SO, COMING IN TO A UNIVERSITY THERE ARE A LOT OF TEMPTATIONS.
BUT MAKING SURE THAT THE PARENTS ARE ENGAGED WITH THEIR STUDENTS, CALLING THEM HERE AND
THERE, TALKING TO THEM ASKING HOW THERE DAY WENT IS REALLY EXCITING FOR THE STUDENTS TO
HEAR AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE REALLY DISCIPLINED WITH THEIR ACADEMICS AS WELL AS
GETTING INVOLVED ON CAMPUS.
HAVING PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WITH OUT HER I HONESTLY COULDN'T HAVE
DONE IT.
SHE WAS THERE FOR ME FROM DAY ONE AND SHE HELPED ME DECIDE WHERE I WANTED TO GO.
SHE HELPED ME POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, GIVE ME SOME GREAT ADVICE, AND WITH OUT HER,
WHO KNOWS WHERE I WOULD BE.
IT'S MY FIRST TIME BEING AWAY FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME SO IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT.
THERE ARE 9 HOURS AHEAD OF ME SO CALLING AND COMMUNICATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT IS GOING
TO BE A LITTLE DIFFICULT.
BUT WE'LL MAKE IT WORK.
I LOVE THEM SO MUCH.
AND I THANK THEM FOR EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE FOR ME.
THEY'VE BEEN GREAT.
THE BEST PARENTS I COULD ASK FOR.
IT WAS DEFINITELY HARD BECAUSE I ALWAYS LIVED WITH MY PARENTS AND WE'RE A REALLY STRONG
FAMILY AND WE ARE VERY FAMILY VALUES.
SO, WHEN I HAD TO LEAVE IT WAS LIKE REALLY HARD FOR ME.
I WAS KIND OF HOME SICK THE FIRST 3 WEEKS, 4 WEEKS OF SCHOOL.
I'LL SEE YOU AT CHRISTMAS.
LOVE YOU.
TEXT ME WHEN YOU GET TO SALT LAKE, OK?
OK.
I WILL.
LOVE YOU.
LOVE YOU TOO.
ALRIGHT STUDY HARD!
HAVE FUN!
NOT TOO MUCH FUN THOUGH.
BYE MOM.
THERE IS A HAPPY MIDDLE GROUNDS BETWEEN STAYING TOO LONG AND KEEPING YOUR STUDENT FROM CONNECTING
WITH THEIR NEW HOME MATES, THEIR ROOM MATES, THEIR PEERS.
AND THEN AND JUST LEAVING.
SO, WE WANT THERE TO BE HUGS, WE WANT THERE TO BE A MODERATE AMOUNT OF TEARS AND EMOTION.
BUT IT CAN BE A TRICKY SCENARIO ESPECIALLY IF IT'S THE FIRST, THE ONLY, OR IF A PARENT
IS GOING TO BACK HOME TO AN EMPTY HOUSE THAT CAN BE ANOTHER TRANSITION.
AND SO SETTING UP THAT GOOD BYE AND TALKING ABOUT AHEAD OF TIME IT CAN BE VERY IMPORTANT.
PREPARING YOUR STUDENT FOR COLLEGE IS A KEY STEP IN PREPARING THEM FOR SUCCESS LATER IN
LIFE.
THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON HAS MANY RESOURCES AND TOOLS ON THEIR WEBSITE.
YOU CAN ALSO LOG ON TO OUR WEBSITE FOR INFORMATION THAT'S
THEBALANCINGACT.COM AND PLEASE VISIT US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.